Coat hanger



Nov. 21, 1950 H. M. PAULSEN 2,531,293

COAT HANGER I Filed Dec. 17, 1947 INVENTOR. HENRY M. PAULSEN ATTORNEYPatented Nov. 21, 1950 iJNliED STATES NT OFFICE COAT HANGER Henry M.Paulsen, Seattle, Wash.

Application December 17, 1947, Serial No. 792,132

2 Claims.

This invention relates to coat hangers, and particularly to adjustableforms therefor which are automatically locked in predetermined positionswhen a coat is supported thereby.

In the construction and use of coat hangers it is important that they beconstructed economically with few parts and adapted to be adjusted foruse for different size coats. It is especially important also that theassembled parts be automatically locked in such positions when used.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a coat hanger tomeet such requirements with a minimum number of parts or wirescooperating together for telescopic adjustment. A. particular objectbeing to provide a wire coat hanger which may be easily adjusted intovarious lateral widths for various coats and which will be automaticallylocked in such desired positions by the weight of a coat suspendedthereover or thereupon.

With these and other objects to be hereinafter stated I haveillustratively exemplified my invention by the accompanying drawings ofwhich:

Figure 1 is a front elevation or vertical view of the assembled coathanger in locked position. Figure 2 is a cross section view taken online 2-2 of Fig. 1 with dotted lines to indicate the position of thesupporting hook when the wires are freed for easy shifting or changingthe dimensions thereof.

Like numerals on the different figures represent like parts.-

This improved hanger is preferably formed of or from four pieces orsections of resilient wire movably connected together for use. Tworelatively short shoulder sections [3 and M are twisted together attheir upper ends beginning at the point l2 to provide a stiff supportinneck II which terminates with one member bent into a hook I!) forsupporting the hanger. The lower extremities of these two wires orshoulder members are twisted forwardly for eyes at obtuse anglestherewith as l5 and I6 forming eyes for slidable disposition over theupper portions of relatively longer cross body wire braces 23 and 24.

These cross braces overlap each other and carry eyes 25 and 26 whichrespectively embrace the other complementary brace for free slidable ortelescopic movement for changing the width of the hanger. At suitablepoints these braces are bent upward into substantially U shapes forelbows l1 and I8, which in use fit beneath the outer edges of theshoulders of a coat and maintain the same in expanded position toprevent wrinkles being formed therein when suspended upon the hanger.The upper ends of the exextended U bends carry eyes thereon 2i and 22which are twisted backwardly downwardly and forwardly over the shoulderwire 13 and I4 in slidable relation therewith to facilitate the shiftingin width of the elbows I! and I8 and the lower braces 23 and 24. Theseeyes 2! and 22 and the other eyes l5 and i6 slope at obtuse angles withtheir respective bodies from which they are formed and thus createfrictional contact with the enclosed wires as they are extendedthereover forwardly from the lower members and backwardly from the uppershoulder members.

In order to provide for additional friction of the eyes last describedand for lockin the same into predetermined positions desired for theelbows, the lower portions of the shoulder sections indicated at l3 andI4 respectively are partially twisted and bowed forward over theadjacent port-ions l9 and 211 respectively of the upper sections of theU members; and the upper portions of the adjacent U members indicated asH] and 20 are slightly twisted and bowed backward over such sections I3and [4 thus forming suflicient friction when the hook is verticallydisposed and such adjacent contacts at their greatest frictionaldisposition to effectively lock the shoulder wires and the lower bracewires in the predetermined positions for expansion desired. When thehook is bent backward as indicated by the dotted lines in Figure 2 thenthe positions of the twisted and bowed sections as l3 and l4 l9 and 20will be thereby sufficiently released from friction to permit theoperator to readily extend the elbows b sliding movements of the bowedportions within the respective binding eyes J5, I6, 2| and 22. When notin use the hook normally assumes a position shown in dotted lines whichfacilitates the shifting of the positions for the various garments. Thenwhen a coat is draped over the hanger and the hook looped over any usualsupport the weight of the is twisted together at the top ends thereof toprovide a neck and supporting hook, and the lower bodies thereof beingsloped outward and downward to provide shoulder members, the lower endsthereof being bent backward and into eyes, said lower pair of suchsections having injustments of width or sizes and said outer ends ofsuch lower portions being turned upward and inward to provide elbows forexpanding a garment thereover, the upper ends of such-upturned elbowsbeing threaded through the respective adjacent eyes On the lower endsof' such upper shoulder members and there bent f0r.War.d.,,into.-

eyes enclosing the shanks of such shoulder membars to provide;slidabl'e, relations between such upper and lower sections foradjustmentsoi the elbows, and the, portions of such upper shouldersections, and. the upper portions of such: elbow sections between the,last described pairs, ofeyes being partially twisted'and bowed overandtoward the opposite adjacent respective sections for pro.- vidingfriction for locking the pairsrofi sections against lateralimovementwhenthe hook is vertie cally disposed, by the weight of garment, sup.-ported over the Saidsections 2. A device for expanding and supportingcoats and garments, comprising, an upper and lower pair of resilientwires, the upper pair thereof having a supporting hook disposedapproximately vertical normally above the same for supporting the deviceand garments, and having down sloping shoulders below the hook providedwith eyes twisted on the lower extremities for guides and, said lowermembers having the major portions thereof disposed horizontally inparallel relation and their inner ends provided with eyes thereat fortelescopic disposition with the adjacent member forrlateral adjustments,elbows, curved in the outward portions of such horizontal membersoppositely disposed for stretching the garments thereover laterally andfor supporting the same,

' andathe top portions of such elbows being extended upward andtelescopically connected with the lower portions of such upper pair ofwires, the adjacent portions of, such elbows and the upper pair of wiresbeing twisted and bowed over and toward each other for creating frictionbetween the same for locking the upper and lower pairs together to:prevent accidental shiftin positions thereof when the hook iszvertical.

HENRY M. PAULSENt REFERENCES CITED The following references are ofrecord in the file of this patent:;

UN ITED' STATES PATENTS.

Number Name Date 1,598,747 Scharles Sept. 7, 1926 2,360,119 GallagherOct. 10; 194-4

